More Support Needed for Students with Dyslexia/Learning Difficulties

Two of my children have dyslexia. Their primary school doesn’t receive enough funding to employ a specialist literacy intervention teacher. Many schools are in the same situation.

I am calling on Hon James Merlino - Victorian Minister for Education to provide extra funding for literacy intervention teachers to assist ALL students with dyslexia/learning difficulties. I am also calling on the Education Minister to make it mandatory for ALL schools to have a literacy intervention teacher using evidence-based methods.

I acknowledge the government has provided some funding towards assisting students with dyslexia, however, many schools have not received enough funding to employ a literacy intervention teacher.

State and Federal discrimination law, imposes a legal obligation on schools to make (and fund) ‘reasonable adjustments’ that are required for students with disabilities to participate in their education on the same basis as their peers.₁

Having access to one on one and small group support by a specialist teacher trained in an evidence-base literacy program, is critical for the learning needs of many dyslexic children. All classroom teachers need extra training in how to recognise, support and accommodate dyslexic students. However, even with the extra training, classroom teachers can’t provide the intensive one on one support many dyslexic children require in order to participate in their education on the same basis as their peers.

All students (diagnosed or not) who are struggling with reading and writing must have access to intervention.

So many dyslexic children are struggling at school which is impacting on their mental health, with self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety. If students with dyslexia/learning difficulties receive early evidence-based literacy intervention they will have a greater chance of becoming tax paying employable adults instead of being dependant on welfare, mental health services, or spending time in jail.

All students have the basic human right to learn how to read and write and they are being discriminated against if they don’t have access to intervention. Please give these precious children the support and funding they desperately need.

₁ Department of Education and Early Childhood Development –Legal Division Information Sheet.

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Simone Mitchell-Nolan needs your help with “Education Minister James Merlino and Premier Daniel Andrews : More Support Needed for Students with Dyslexia/Learning Difficulties”. Join Simone and 1,339 supporters today.

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Simone Mitchell-Nolan needs your help with “Education Minister James Merlino and Premier Daniel Andrews : More Support Needed for Students with Dyslexia/Learning Difficulties”. Join Simone and 1,339 supporters today.